One family has been breeding nationally recognized dogs for more than a decade right here in Marion County.
Longtime Pella residents Lois and Ted Grier, now living in rural Otley, earned Best in Breed for their Kerry Blue Terrier named “Krisma Xman First Class,” or Xavier, at the 140th annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week in New York City.
Lois tells KNIA/KRLS News they’ve had help from a large team to get canines like Xavier to the national level, and that he received a special invitation to this year’s Westminster competition.
“In October of last year, he was also the national specialty winner in Montgomery Kennel Club out in Pennsylvania which is a big once a year competition for the entire United States Kerry Blue Terrier Club. He won best in breed over an entry of about 98 other Kerries. So that’s the reason we thought maybe this was the year to go back to Westminster,” she says.
The Griers started breeding as a hobby 13 years ago, but have since brought their unique Kerry Blue Terriers to contests across the country.
“When I bought my first show dog, she became number ten in the country with only a half a year of showing as a special, so it kind of snowballed,” Lois says. “Since then we’ve had several top five and top ten Kerries. We’ve been to Westminster, Eukanuba, and our national specialty several times in the past few years and have done very well.”
“It’s just something that escalated and it’s something my husband and I enjoy doing together as a pastime.”
These particular dogs have origins on the farms of Ireland, according to Lois.
“A Kerry Blue Terrier is an Irish farm working dog, it was originally a dog that was established to help the working farmers there rid their farms of vermin and just be an all over herding, working farm dog,” she says. “But today, we do less of that, and they’re great people dogs.”
Xavier will be participating in a show in Des Moines at the Iowa State Fairgrounds this weekend. Grier encourages others to get involved at the local and state level.
“I’m trying to bring new people into the breed as much as I possibly can, and you start small, you start at local shows,” she says.
“Those are great places for people to come and view the dogs and become acquainted with different breeds and maybe see if they’d like to try their hand at showing. All it takes is an interest, a passion, and just connecting with a kennel club or group of people that can help you get started.”
Hear more about Xavier and his journey to the Westminster Kennel Club on Let’s Talk Pella Friday.
Click here for more about the Griers and their Krisma Kerry Blue Terriers.